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STEGH visitors urged to be cautious to avoid spreading infection

Rhonda Beliveau, STEGH infefection prevention and control specialist, uses a hand sanitizer at the hospital. Hospital staff are reminding all community residents to follow precautions if visiting the hospital, or delay visits if they're feeling unwell. (Nick Lypaczewski, Times-Journal)

St. Thomas-Elgin General Hospital is urging community residents to be cautious about the spread of infection when visiting the hospital as flu and common colds sweep across the area.

“Our goal is to protect our patients and our staff and the hospital....,” Rhonda Beliveau, one of the hospital's two infection prevention and control specialists, said.

“There's a lot of influenza that's in London and the surrounding community so we're just proactively putting it out there to make sure people are aware and to make sure we don't see any spread here at the hospital.”

Last week, Believau said roughly one half of people in the emergency department displayed at least one cold- or flu-like symptom.

The hospital has hand sanitizing stations at each entrance and postings around the building stressing the importance of infection control.

Staff also issued a news release saying many patients admitted to hospital are testing positive for Influenza A and other respiratory viruses.

The hospital has not yet had to declare an outbreak situation but are stepping up precautions to limit illness spread.

Visitors are asked to: delay patient visits if feeling unwell; clean hands upon entering and leaving the patient's bedside; wear a mask, gown and gloves if entering a room with isolation precautions and to not travel to other areas of the hospital if visiting someone in isolation among others.

“It is essential we do everything possible to prevent the spread of illness and avoid an outbreak situation in our facility,” STEGH vice president Karen Davies added in the release.